Alliint cockeell



(No Model.)

- A. OOCKRELL.

LIGHTNING ESCAPE FOR WIRE FENCES. No. 385,095.

INVENTOR i ATTORNEYS.

WITNESSES:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALLIN COCKRELL, OF LAMAR, MISSOURI. I

LlGHTNlNG-ESCAPE FOR WIRE FENCES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No, 385,095, dated June 26, 1888.

Serial No. 252,973. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALLTN CooKnELL, of Lamar, in the county ofBarton and State of Missouri, have invented a new and Improved 'Wire Fence, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to wire fences, and has for its object to provide a wire fence so constructed that a stroke of lightning will only affect a portion of the fence and the electricity be carried off directly into the ground,whereby a person or live stock adjacent to the fence at a distance will be in no danger.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, in which the figure illustrates a wire fence constructed according to myinvention.

In constructing the wire fence wooden posts 1, square or of other suitable shape, are set up at the desired distances apart. A section, 2, of fence is then formed by burying the end 3 ofa strand of wire, 4, a sufficient distance in the ground, carrying the wire upon one side of a post, 1, nearly to the top and across to a second post, and back and forth between the two posts until it reaches the second post, where it is carried down along the post and its end 5 buried in the ground. The wire is secured by staples 6, or other suitable means, to the posts, the bent portions '7 being located on opposite sides of the post, so as to insulate the section 2 of wire fence from the adjacent sections. it will thus be seen that a section of wire fence is formed having its wire continuous and its terminals grounded, whereby a charge of electricity may be carried off. The fence is constructed of a number of these sections-ms 2, 8, 9, 10, 11, &c.according to the area to be inclosed, practically forming a continuous wire fencing. It will thus be seen that if any portion of such a fence be struck by lightning it will only affect a section, and the electricity, instead of being distributed throughout the whole fence, will be carried off by the terminals of the section. In this way a person or live stock adjacent to the fence at a distance from the section struck by lightning will be unharmed.

The fencing may be made of barbed or smooth wire. It is obvious that the folded ends of the strand of a fence-section may be secured on the same side of their posts and the folded ends of the strand of the adjacent sections secured on the opposite side of said posts, with the same insulating effect as in the arrangement shown and described.

Having thus described my inveution,whatI claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a fence adapted to carry off the electricity directly into the ground at the portion struck by lightning, a section of wire fence constructed with a single strand of wire ex tending between posts to which it is secured, and having its terminals grounded, substan tially as shown and described.

2. A wire fence adapted to carry off the electricity directly into the ground at the portion struck by lightning,constructed ofa number of sections, each section consisting of a strand of wire extending backward and forward between posts, secured to the latter on the side of the posts opposite to that on which the strand of the adjacent section is secured, and having its terminals grou nded,substantiall y as described.

ALLIN COOKRELL.

XVitnesses:

J. B. EMERY, JEssE CocKRELL. 

